Teach Me How to Sing
by Iwait4theRain
Summary: Siblings teach us more than we give them credit for. Twenty-two brothers and sisters, twenty-six lessons to be learned. Black brothers, Black sisters, Creevy brothers, Delacour sisters, Dumbledore brothers, Evans sisters, Weasley brothers.


So, my first Harry Potter fic, yay! I just wanted to give a shout-out to my own brothers for inspring this fic. Umm, reviews are love and happy reading!

Disclaimer: Yes I own Harry Potter, duh.

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><p>Brother, teach me how to run and walk<br>Teach me how to fly  
>Teach me how to skip a rock<br>And teach me not to cry

Teach me how to paint nice things  
>And teach me how to roar<br>Sister teach me how to spread my wings  
>So one day I will soar<p>

Brother teach me how to ride a bike  
>Teach me how to dance<br>Teach me how to talk to girls  
>If someday I get the chance<p>

Sister teach me how to write a song  
>And teach me how to sing<br>Someday everyone will sing along  
>So brother teach me everything<p>

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><p><span>Lesson A. At Times, Everyone Can Smile<span>

Andromeda, under normal everyday circumstances, would never ever laugh at her sister. No offense to Bellatrix, she just wasn't a particularly funny person.

But now, she couldn't seem to make herself stop.

"AND DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH MY SISTER EVER AGAIN, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" the second-year Bellatrix had at wand point was practically wetting himself with fear.

"Y-yes Miss."

"Good." she seethed. "Now, be a good little Mudblood and apologize to my sister."

He wouldn't have dared to disobey, so the boy turns almost robotically to Andromeda who was still on the floor, and says "I-I'm sorry Miss."

Andromeda laughed even harder.

"Now," Bellatrix dropped her voice considerably, probably so nobody could prove she was threatening anyone, Andromeda figured, "if you ever push Andromeda again, you're going to have to answer to me. And, seeing as you can't manage to stop yourself from crying with simple verbal threats, I suggest you leave my sister alone."

Lesson B. Brotherly Love

At first, little Ronald Weasley has no idea what's going on. Actually, he has no idea what's going on period. One minute, he's napping away safe in his basinet, and the next thing he knows, he's being tied to the foot of an extremely old and decrepit-looking owl.

So, he begins to cry.

"Fred keep him quiet!" Charlie Weasley warns as he holds his baby brother down.

Fred obliges by stuffing his last piece of cake in to Baby Ron's mouth. Ron responds by howling even louder.

"Mum's gonna be down here any second if he keeps screaming like that." Bill huffs, desperately trying to tie the knot tight enough to Errol's talon.

"B-Bill. I don't think we should be doing this!" little Percy Weasley whimpers. "We're gonna get in a lot of trouble if Mum finds out!"

Charlie rolls his eyes. "Shut up Percy! Besides, Mum's not going to know anything if you do your job and keep lookout! God, you're stupid."

"Charlie keep him still or I'm going to snap Errol's foot off!" Bill growls at his younger brother. "And Fred and George, you're supposed to be keeping him quiet. What good are you two if you can't do your job properly?"

Ron was now screaming bloody murder. He hadn't known his brothers for so much as three days and already he was dreading the rest of his life he had to spend with them.

"Bill are you almost done? He keeps on moving and he's tried to bite my hand off more than once!" Charlie complains.

Bill tries very hard to resist the urge to throttle his brother. "Yeah, just get me the note and we'll be ready to send him to Aunt Tessie's."

"Thank god." Charlie smiled. "Are you happy Fred and Georgie? No more baby Ronnie!"

Little Fred and George clapped and laughed happily. They, like their other brothers, were not too fond of the Weasley family's latest addition.

"B-B-B-B-Bill?" Percy whimpered.

"Percy shut up and keep watch."

"B-B-Bill!"

"Be quiet you moron!"

"B-B-BILL!"

"PERCY YOU LITTLE GIT IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP I'LL STUFF ERROL UP YOUR-"

"Hello there Bill."

It was as if all the happiness had been sucked from the world. "Oh, hi Mum."

Lesson C. Class Clowns Can, and Will, Rule the World

Perfect Prefect Percy." Fred mutters under his breath. "What a git."

"Agreed." George nods. He's never been the more verbal twin but Fred knows his brother understands.

"It's gross how mum treats him like a baby. I'm pretty sure the boy knows how to fold his own undergarments by now." Fred scoffs.

George shrugs. "Or maybe not. Percy's never been too bright."

Fred laughs. It's true. Percy never has been very bright. Just clever. Yeah, just clever.

But still, he's Perfect Prefect Percy. And mum's favorite by far.

Fred sighs. He'll make his mum proud too. It's a promise he's made a billion times to himself. He'll show Bill and Charley and Perfect Prefect Percy.

Lesson D. Deals Are Meant to be Broken

_Deals are meant to be broken_

_Vows aren't meant to be done_

_For secrets are never kept for long_

_And wars are never won_

_These are the things I wish I told myself._

_My brother was always right._

_If I has listened, I wouldn't be here now,_

_Dying in the dark of night._

_Deals are meant to be broken_

_Vows aren't mean to be done_

_There's one last thing I wish for you brother;_

_Take your life and run._

"Things My Brother Has Taught Me"-Regulus Black

Lesson E. Exclusion is not Very Nice, Nor is it Fair

"He's off his rocker!"

"He's mad!"

"He hasn't got any idea what he's saying!"

"Bill, I really do think you've lost it if you want Ginny to play Quidditch with us." Percy and the three youngest Weasley brothers argue.

Bill rolled his eyes. He was completely not in the mood to put up with his brother's whining. "Aw now come on, she's never played before. Give her a chance why don'cha? Back me up here Charlie."

"I-" Charlie began, but was immediately cut off by Fred.

"But Quidditch isn't some girly-girl tea party Bill. It's a man's game!"

Charlie raised his eyebrow in question. "Then why do we still let Percy play?" Percy turned bright red.

Fred and George seemed to seriously consider this. "Fine but she's on _Bill's_ team."

One hour and 150 points later, the Weasley brothers have learned that girls perhaps _can _sort-of play Quidditch.

Lesson F. Failure is Never an Option

Dozens of hands hoist Fleur onto the wooden deck. She is limp and cold and it isn't until she is finally dropped on her back, coughing and spitting up water, that she even realizes she wasn't breathing.

"Fleur?" Someone wraps a towel around her. "Fleur are you alright?"

No. No she isn't.

Fleur wills her lips to move, but they can't. She's too numb. And not only from the cold, but there's this…chilling feeling deep in the pit of her stomach that spread itself through her every pore. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a thought that she's tried to repress until now is growing and feeding this endless chill.

Gabrielle is at the bottom of the lake.

Lesson G. Games Are Not Meant to be Played Forever

Petunia Dursley had been to funerals before. She and her sister were always forced into depressing, uncomfortable black dresses and tight black shoes that hurt their feet. They had to sit through long and tedious church services commemorating the "beauty" and "wonder" of the human life, then afterwards they had to stand outside without fidgeting in the cold in a graveyard to watch them be put away forever.

It was different though, when the person in the coffin was someone you used to love. It was….weird

And that was exactly how Petunia felt when she saw her sister's lifeless body laying in the wooden box.

She couldn't help but laugh to herself. When they were younger, Petunia and Lily had always played games like this. Where one would die in a heroic battle for the good of all mankind and the other would be standing over the lifeless body and dramatically start to cry or make some valiant speech commemorating the great hero.

It was almost like that now, except as much as she hoped, Lily wasn't going to sit up and say "I'm bored. Let's play a different game."

And Petunia wouldn't laugh, wiping the fake tears from her cheeks and respond, "Well, I was rather enjoying myself."

No, that wasn't going to happen.

Lesson H. Heroes Never Let You Down

Everyone knows the story. On May 2nd over 50 people are lost in the Battle of Hogwarts.

Today on September 1st, Dennis Creevy stands on platform 9 ¾ waiting for the Hogwarts Express to take him to his fifth-year of school. He watches all the people passing by, all the returning students who are happy to have made it back alive and all the new first years who's eyes are bright with the hope of a new beginning.

Dennis remembers when he was like that; when tomorrow was certain. He remembers his first day on platform 9 ¾ so vividly, it could have been just yesterday.

_First-year Dennis Creevy stands in his hand-me-down slacks and trainers, holding his suitcase in one hand and Colin's hand in the other. He looks around at all the people; the returning students who are hugging and reminiscing, and the first years who, like him, are scared out of their wits. _

_Dennis stops at one particular face and gasps. "It's him." Dennis grasps Colin's arm. "It's Harry Potter!" _

_Colin's eyes brighten at his own personal hero. "See, I told you I wasn't kidding!" _

"_Wow," Dennis breathes. He has heard stories about this boy, who not nearly two years older than himself has already defeated the forces of evil on more than one occasion. "I can't believe it's him."_

"_I know. And now Dennis, you can say you've seen the greatest wizard of all time."_

"_The greatest wizard of all time." Dennis repeats. He's almost too distracted to listen Colin._

"_Yeah, the greatest wizard of all time. Harry Potter is going to save the world one day, just watch. And, when I'm old, I'll be able to tell my kids and my kids kid's that I knew him, Harry Potter; the greatest wizard of all time. And, I'll be able to tell them he was my hero."_

Dennis almost laughs now at his brother's childish naivety. Heroes don't exist. Heroes are made-up characters in fairy tales read to children to make them go to sleep at night.

No, Dennis Creevy knows for sure there are no heroes. Because, if there were, then perhaps he would be standing on platform 9 ¾ with his brother standing with him.

Lesson I. Independence

All their lives, Parvati and Padma Patil had always been referred to as "The Twins".

It was always "the twins" this and "the twins" that or "Parvati and Padma" this and "Padma and Parvati" that. What most people don't understand is that it gets so tiring.

Padma sits upon the high wooden stool for all of Hogwarts to see, the hat is ceremoniously placed upon her head and almost without hesitation it yells "Ravenclaw!".

When Parvati performs the exact same duty in the exact same way she knows exactly that her fate will be identical to her sister's. It's just the way things have always been done.

Imagine her surprise when she climbs onto the stool and the Sorting Hat is placed on her head and instead of deeming her a Ravenclaw like she and everyone else expects…."Gryffindor!" The word rings through the hall.

It is the most beautiful word Parvati Patil has ever heard. Because to her, that word means freedom. The word has broken the chain that has kept the Patil twins bound together for eleven years

Now, they are no longer one. And now, they are free.

Lesson J. Joys of Simple Poetry

_Dear Rose,_

_Roses are red (heh), violets are blue. House-elves are ugly and so are you._

_-Hugo_

Lesson K. Know What? Poetry is a Nuisance

_Dear Hugo,_

_You're not funny._

_-Rose_

Lesson L. Looking-Glass Never Lies

George really must pat himself on the back for this one. Oh sure, he and Fred had heard rumors about the alleged mirror that reflects the deepest desires of one's heart, but never in a million years did he ever imagine he would actually find the Mirror of Erised.

"What do you see?" George asks excitedly as his brother stands in front of the mirror. "Come on, tell me!"

"Hang on George, give it time to warm up!" Fred flashes a cheeky smile at his brother.

George rolls his eyes and takes a seat on the stone floor. "I really gotta hand it to you Freddie, I think you've outdone yourself finding this."

"Hang on!" Fred gasps. "There-there I am!"

George bolts back up and races to Fred's side. "Where? I don't see a bloody thing!"

"That's because these are _my_ desires George, not _your's._ You'll have your turn." George huffs and slumps back down. "Well then, don't keep it a secret. What d'you see Fred?"

"I see myself." Fred straightens up and smiles. "I'm wearing brand-new gold robes. Wow George I'm rich! There's galleons everywhere!"

"Sounds accurate." George laughs. "Do you see me?"

"Like I said George these are _my _desire, not _yours._"

"Well alright then, let me have a look!" George hops up and places himself in front of the mirror.

"Alright then Georgie, what is the deepest desire of your heart?"

The fog in the mirror clears and George sees himself clad in sparkling gold robes. His ragged hand-me-downs are nowhere to be seen. Galleons overflow from his hands and pockets and spill over onto the floor.

But there's something else there too. Or rather _someone._

The very last bit of fog clears and George sees a figure standing beside him. "Fred don't stand behind me!"

"Come off it, I'm not standing behind you!"

George turns around to find that his brother is not, in fact, standing behind him. But instead, Fred is in the mirror.

"Now come on George! What do you see?" Fred presses.

"Galleons, loads and loads of galleons." George bites his lip, it's half the truth.

Lesson M. Modesty is the Best Policy

"And there's ghosts and one of them is named Peeves. He's _really_ cool!" Albus Potter tries valiantly to not roll his eyes at his brother. He's heard stories upon stories of James' magical Hogwarts adventures and he's about ready to blow his brains out.

"But the best part was when Alfred King and I snuck to the lake where a bunch of the girls were and we set a whole box full of cockroaches on them!" James laughed.

"Oh James you didn't!" his cousin, Rose shrieked.

"Yes, yes he did and it was the funniest thing you ever saw and you should have seen the girl's faces and blah blah blah."

"Jealous are we Albus?" James sneered.

This time, Albus did roll his eyes. "Not at all James."

Lesson N. Not Everybody is an Extreme

Narcissa Malfoy always sat in the middle. When she was small, she used to walk with her sisters. Holding tight to both of their hands. Bellatrix's ice-cold death grip and Andromeda's loose grasp. Even then she knew the difference.

Narcissa was the medium between two extremes, between black and white, between fire and ice, between day and night, between Bellatrix and Andromeda.

Bellatrix, upheld her name; she was black as night. She was bound by the limits of the darkness that surrounded her, unwilling and unable to see beyond it.

Andromeda, on the other hand, was light. Her vision was never clouded, she was able to see deep inside her heart. Perhaps though, this wasn't a good thing.

But Narcissa, the youngest Black sister had always been different simply because she wasn't different. She wasn't good or evil. She wasn't fire or ice. She wasn't black or white.

Instead Narcissa Malfoy sat in the middle, wavering in the inbetween. And, she like so many others, wasn't an extreme at all.

Lesson O. One Plus One Will Always Equal Two

Twins are born twins because they're supposed to be born twins. That's logical if you get it.

But it makes perfect sense to George who has always depended on his brother. How is one expected to live when there's only half of them left?

Lesson P. Potions Are Only Meant to be Given if One Wishes to Cause Intentional Harm

"Cissy! Cissy where are you?" Bellatrix hisses.

"Well Bella, now you know; don't ever give people invisibility potion, especially not to your little sister who will most certainly find away to make it come around and bite you in the butt." Andromeda, who has been aiding on the quest for the invisible Black sister for the past three hours.

"Stuff. It."

Lesson Q. Question Everything

Charley Weasley leans over the crib of his brother, Percy. And, he has just one little bugging question.

"Bill? Where do babies come from?"

Lesson R. Reincarnation is Beautiful

"Look here Aberforth." seven-year old Albus Dumbledore catches a butterfly on his hand and brings it close to his brother's face.

"Wow," Aberforth gasps, wide-eyed, "look at it." his hand involuntarily reaches out to touch the small creature, but before his fingers can brush its wing, Albus pulls his hand away.

"Be careful. Butterflies are fragile." Albus cautions. Aberforth pouts, he hated being told what to do. Especially by his _brother._

Albus catches his brother's discontentment and smiles. "Did you know that butterflies are actually spirits?"

Aberforth tries to contain his awe. "What, do you mean like…ghosts?" he asks skeptically.

The butterfly flutters in Albus' hand. His eyebrows furrow as he thinks hard about his brother's question. "No, more like reincarnated souls."

"Souls." Aberforth breathes in awe. Again, he reaches his hand out toward the butterfly, but this time it launches itself from Albus' hand and ascends toward the sky. "I-I wanted to hold it too." Aberforth's eyes fill with tears and his heart with disappointment.

Albus puts his hand on his brother's shoulder. "But now you know, Aberfoth, that whenever you see a butterfly what you are really seeing is the soul of someone who has passed."

Aberforth nods, understanding. Albus will tell him a lot of things in the years to come, some useful and some not. But even at this early moment in his life, Aberforth senses that this particular piece of information will be quite useful in the future.

Lesson S. Skulls Are Thicker Than Blood

"Why can't you listen?"

"Why don't you understand?"

These are the unanswered questions that separate Regulus and Sirius Black.

"Why can't you listen to me or to mum and dad?" Regulus screams. "All your life you've rejected everything they've given you. You're such an ungrateful git! You don't deserve anything!"

"Why don't you understand that I'm not like you?" Sirius retaliates. "I don't belong here. I never have! You don't get it Regulus, so please, stop trying to change me."

The truth was, Regulus isn't trying to change anyone. Not at all. But these moments, even if they were filled with screaming and anger, filled that longing in Regulus' heart that came when his brother didn't love him.

Lesson T. Tea Parties Are Most Certainly NOT Just For Girls

"Alright Charlie, now before you can drink your tea, you have to raise your pinkie and toast to the Queen." Charlie Weasley, donned in a bright pink feather boa and the guest of honor at his baby sister's tea party obliged and held his cup high.

"To the Queen." Ginny went first.

"To the Q-"

Unfortunately though, Charlie doesn't get to finish his toast because it was at that moment that dear brother Bill decides to pop into the room. "What the _hell_ are you wearing?"

Lesson U. Universes Can Dance Too

Gabrielle never watches anything more beautiful than when her sister dances. It's like the Fleur that Gabrielle know would disappear and for just a little while, a different Fleur comes around.

This Fleur is free in every aspect of the word. In every pirouette, every grande jete, every sodecha, she's flying. She is magical. She's beautiful.

It's one of the most incredible things Gabrielle ever witnesses.

When Fleur Delacour dances, all the grace and beauty trapped in all the tiny crevices in the corners of the universe come together to fly for just a little while.

Lesson V. Vows Aren't Meant to be Done

Sirius Black isn't the poet his brother was, and he's well aware.

Lesson W. When Flying, Never Keep Your Feet On the Ground

"This is dangerous!" Dennis Creevy squeals as he holds on to the end of his broom for dear life.

"Dennis you haven't even gotten off the ground yet." states Colin Creevy who is soon discovering that teaching his brother to fly a broom is perhaps going to be slightly more difficult than he had planned.

"I don't want to be! I'm scared!"

"Don't worry Dennis. Watch here." Colin says as he mounts his own broom. "Grip the broom nice and tight, go on."

Dennis mimics his brother and increases his death-grip on the poor broom.

"Good. Now, just take a deep breath and kick off." Dennis watches as Colin rises into the air and soars high above him. "Come on Dennis! You can do it!"

Dennis swallows hard and with all the guts he can muster, he kicks off with one foot and starts to rise.

"That's it Dennis! Now, just fly to me!"

But, Dennis being an amateur flyer and a deathly afraid one at that, he can't manage to take his left foot off the ground.

"Colin! Help me I can't stop!" Dennis cries as he crashes face-first into mother's flower bed.

Colin quickly rushes to his brother's side and pulls him out of the sea of flowers.

Dennis Creevy learns a very important lesson that day; flying is not something that is meant to be done on the ground.

Lesson X. X Marks the Spot

Regulus Black hasn't cried in a very, very long time. He has always thought he was beyond such displays of emotion.

Yet, he never thought he'd be in such a situation.

"I can't-I can't. I'm sorry!" he wailes alone in his room, hoping secretly that someone can hear him.

His hopes are answered when his bedroom door creaks open and Kreacher so hesitantly tip-toes in. "M-M-Master Regulus? Are you alright?"

Regulus sighs and wipes his soaked eyes. "Yes, of course. Kreacher?"

"Y-yes master?"

Regulus twists the tear-soaked envelope in his hands before relinquishing it to Kreacher. "Sneak this into Sirius' room, please. It's important."

Kreacher nods. "Of course master."

Regulus won't live to see his brother read the letter as he so figured. It will be years until Sirius Black strolls into his room upon the first day of his return home to find the dusty old letter lying on his bed.

_You were right_

_-Regulus_

Lesson Y. You Never Know What You Have Until It's Gone

Tears race silently down the cold, pale cheeks of Narcissa Malfoy. She doesn't know why she still cries about it anymore. She was supposed to have forgotten a long time ago. She doesn't even know what's brought it on this time.

Perhaps it's the long brown streaks in her hair, or the overly-noted fact that she and her sister inherited the same eyes.

"Andromeda." the word comes thick due to her sobbing. It tastes strange on her tongue. Familiar, mysterious, forbidden.

But she speaks it anyway. In the darkest corners on the darkest days, Narcissi ventures to those dark places where she is so brave, so daring and she cries for Andromeda .

Because Narcissa loves her sister. It was Andromeda who made the world seem so bright and beautiful in the times that Narcissa couldn't see tomorrow.

Andromeda always understood.

Lesson Z. Zany Old Brothers Never Really Say Good-bye

The night is warm and still as Aberforth Dumbledore stares from his window into the chaos that ensues around him.

People are crying, screaming. Wands raise up one by one to the sky, and the sparks that fly from them penetrate the horrible darkness of this night.

Aberforth closes his eyes against it all. As much as he wants to shut his window and retreat into the darkness of his home, he cannot bring himself to ignore reality tonight.

Not on the night of his brother's death.

"Dumbledore! Dumbledore! Dumbledore! Dumbledore!" the chant begins as a low rumble and soon rises to a cry that seems to shatter the world.

"Albus." Aberforth whispers, secretly hoping that his brother can hear his voice above all the rest. "Oh, Albus."

It is at that moment that Aberforth feels the smallest grace against his hand. It's so small and so subtle that Aberforth is sure that between the noise and his shut eyes it would have gone unnoticed had he not been told to be sensitive to this small grace.

So just like he has been told, Aberforth smiles and opens his eyes to the butterfly sitting on his hand. "Hello Albus."


End file.
